Hey guys! I'm going to be playing in a new band and we're going to be playing in big gigs like youthfest, battle of the band, etc. So please let me know what you think of this rig. What do you think it needs or doesn't need. Also feel free to share your gig rig and why you like yours!
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PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR OPINION ON MY RIG
- Thread starter Basstreble
- Start date
Does the Genz head not sound better alone than without the Peavey Max and whatever that Line6 thing is?
I play rock and pop christian music. And i think the Genz Benz sounds fantastic alone! I use the Peavey because it gives me a little extra boost, and it has a wider variety of EQ to choose from. The Line6 is for compression and other cool sound effects. I'm also using it because it has a lot of cool bass head amp brands i can choose from. Like it can give me a Marshall Major tone, Fender Bassman, Ampeg SVT and stuff like that.
nice rig. What is the speaker cabinet resting on? If it's a box containing gear I'd get the cab off because that'll act as a bass trap. Learned that the hard way with a DIY build.
honestly, my first thought was "pull the head out of that big ol' rack and leave the rack at home!"
all those "boosts" and fake "different amp" sims can add up to uneven levels that just mess up the house mix as soon as you engage them. (boosts especially can lead to blown speakers if not contained properly.)
effects can be fun, but there's a lot to be said for dialing in one good tone, letting the sound guy get it balanced in the mix with all the other players, and sticking with it.
(that "good" tone will usually be the one without too much EQ and processing on it.)
all those "boosts" and fake "different amp" sims can add up to uneven levels that just mess up the house mix as soon as you engage them. (boosts especially can lead to blown speakers if not contained properly.)
effects can be fun, but there's a lot to be said for dialing in one good tone, letting the sound guy get it balanced in the mix with all the other players, and sticking with it.
(that "good" tone will usually be the one without too much EQ and processing on it.)
The simpler you tone is live, the better. Your bass heroes have a lot of gear on stage BECAUSE they have BASS TECHS roaming around. I agree with the others; figure out how to get the tones you like with the Genz and keep it simple. Extra knobs and extra gear that only adds a little can make your life crazy on stage. When the acoustics of the venue start messing with your tone, which device will you adjust first? It could turn into a nightmare trying to get a good tone out of that rig. I am sure it sounds good, but you are only one person....
I agree with many of the responses in this thread.
If having a wider EQ on hand is important to you, then try leaving the Peavey head at home and picking up a small bass EQ pedal. And if simulating a wide variety of heads or cabinets is important to you, then go through each amp setting on the Line 6 and try to figure out how to achieve those tones using the Genz Benz head alone. I have a feeling that it can be done, and done well.
You mentioned that you use the Line 6 for effects and compression, too. If those and the amp simulation features together make this head a one-stop resource for you (much like a multi-effects pedal), then perhaps you have good reason for keeping it in your setup. It all depends on your needs, the needs of the band and the needs of the music.
That being said, some really good points were made about having a consistent sound output live. The less time a sound person spends adjusting the gain on your channel, or the amount and types of compression or limiting on your bass, the more time he or she can spend optimizing the tone of your bass in the mix.
I love how lightweight Genz Benz gear can be and I'm happy that you're taking it on the road with you. I have a feeling your back will thank you for it later
All the best on your tour!
If having a wider EQ on hand is important to you, then try leaving the Peavey head at home and picking up a small bass EQ pedal. And if simulating a wide variety of heads or cabinets is important to you, then go through each amp setting on the Line 6 and try to figure out how to achieve those tones using the Genz Benz head alone. I have a feeling that it can be done, and done well.
You mentioned that you use the Line 6 for effects and compression, too. If those and the amp simulation features together make this head a one-stop resource for you (much like a multi-effects pedal), then perhaps you have good reason for keeping it in your setup. It all depends on your needs, the needs of the band and the needs of the music.
That being said, some really good points were made about having a consistent sound output live. The less time a sound person spends adjusting the gain on your channel, or the amount and types of compression or limiting on your bass, the more time he or she can spend optimizing the tone of your bass in the mix.
I love how lightweight Genz Benz gear can be and I'm happy that you're taking it on the road with you. I have a feeling your back will thank you for it later
All the best on your tour!
OK this is not meant to offend, but with all that "stuff" going on, you will be a sound man's worst nightmare. Let me assure you that no one in your audience cares if song one sounds like a Marshall and song two sounds like an SVT on bass. The shuttle is a good little head. Maybe leave the Peavey pre in there as a backup to use as a DI if your amp craps out. But just run the Shuttle on stage. All you need is a good tone that sits in the mix well. You don't need 75 different tones. Now, if you NEED the effects from the Lins 6, fine. But just use it for effects. Let the tone of the Shuttle stand alone. Or, for that matter, just run the Line 6 and a good power amp. But I think you would do better to keep it simple.
All just opinions here. When I was younger, I ran the ridiculous ART Nightbass processor with all kinds of crazy mess on board. All I succeeded in doing was bringing on the onset of my sound guy's grey hair early.
All just opinions here. When I was younger, I ran the ridiculous ART Nightbass processor with all kinds of crazy mess on board. All I succeeded in doing was bringing on the onset of my sound guy's grey hair early.
If your gear is consistently delivering a good sound that falls right in with everything-everyone else & isn't clogging up or sucking oxygen out of the rest of the mix...rock on.
My setup is P-Bass to LH1000 to (LDS) 2 x 10 cab for most gigs including the big PA shows (amp has a direct out). I haven't felt the need to pile on.
Little things: keeping any tubes replaced, the quality & age of your strings, instrument setup, these also affect one's sound. They're cheap fixes that can really make big differences.
Of course, the music you play also dictates what is going to work for you.
That Peavey Max Bass pre is an excellent piece of gear (I've been hunting for one, not easy to find now.) I used to run an Ibanez bass effects unit that had lots of cool sounds in it (a really hard to find unit now,) but found after listening to some footage of my old band live that pretty much no one in the audience could really tell any difference in my bass sound. While it was fun to play around with, once I heard what the audience was hearing, that was the end of that. No need to carry extra gear!
Hey guys. So I took out the Line 6 and now it sounds less muddy and cleaner. The Peavey really ends up complementing the Genz Benz. I agree with all of you. It is a whole lot simpler now that it has less stuff. Thank you for all of your opinions!
